Sod Christmas, summer really is the most wonderful of the year. Don’t @ me, Santa.

Come October, I morph into a social recluse, I avoid making plans because it’s freezing out and the thought of going to bed late only to wake up for work and find it’s exactly the same shade of sodding pitch black outside makes me yawn before curling up to hibernate.

Both autumn and spring are rich in colour and don’t make you feel like you’ll surely perish while waiting for the Overground to the office, positive fellow commuters won’t even notice as your half-frozen carcass fades to grey just like the bleak and uncaring winter.

It me, thinking about leaving the house in winter (Picture: Getty)

Every year, both the drop in temperature – and my mood – seem to sneak up on me, and my usual self-remedy of eating loads of stodgy carbs and wearing pyjamas from the moment I get home from work was doing sweet FA to make me feel less grim or more motivated.

I used the Aurora light from the Innolux bright light therapy range (others are available, obvs), mainly because Innolux advise that just 15 minutes exposure per day is enough, and you can simply have the light on in the room and get on with your usual routine, rather than look directly at the light which would definitely make me feel absolutely ludicrous.

That said, I did still feel fairly ridiculous. In fact, I was so convinced it wasn’t going to work that I roped my flatmates in so we could all have a laugh about it later.

And, the first time we switched the lamp, Aurora to use her correct title, laugh we did, because the light is so bright it felt like a scene in a sci-fi film right before the character gets abducted by aliens.

(Picture: Getty)

Once I got over the initial shock – and realised Aurora came with a dimmer switch and I was a moron, I started easing myself into light exposure gradually, and then just having the lamp on in the background as I got on with very important tasks such as watching Dinner Date and sorting out my washing.

I used the Aurora for around six weeks, after the first few days it no longer felt like ‘light therapy’ and became as normal as, well, switching a lamp on.

Despite my initial reservations, I’m convinced the lamp made me feel more alert and awake. I don’t believe for a second that it magically transferred energy, but it did help silence the groggy inner monologue of ‘lol I’m doing nothing except going to bed’ that I seem to repeat like a mantra every winter.

The light didn’t make me feel any better when the wind would blow my umbrella inside out, or when I have to leave the house at 6am in the dark – but it did improve my mood in general, increase my motivation to do, well, anything.

And because I felt more alert though the day, my sleeping pattern seemed to improve too.

Quite a return, for the measly investment of just 15 minutes per day.

(Picture: Liberty Antonia Sadler for Metro.co.uk)

And, because I roped them into the test – and our electricity bill is probably going to be considerably higher as a result of my soiree into light therapy – here’s what my flatmates had to say into their forced adventure into saying goodbye to my winter blues:

Ellen Stewart said: ‘The grey winter skies in London are unrelenting. By the time it gets to February the sun seems like some distant childhood memory you’re unsure whether you actually recall or you’re just remembering someone telling you about it. “That thing called summer? Yes, I have some recollection of it.”

‘I am a total cynic and didn’t expect to feel any effect from Innolux light therapy but switching it on in the morning suddenly woke me up, gave me more energy and wiped away that groggy, sluggish fatigue I battle during the winter months.

‘I am quite sensitive to light and am prone to headaches. I normally wake up with a dull ache behind my eyes. The ache seemed to pass more quickly when using the lamp.’

While Emma Kelly added: ‘I tend to feel quite sluggish and down during the winter months, as I want to go straight to bed when I get home from work due to the lack of sunlight. But it’s a vicious circle as when it’s dark in the mornings, I can’t seem to wake up properly.

‘I was a bit sceptical of the SAD light as I wasn’t sure how much artificial light could really help. However, it did make a difference as I started to mistake the lamp for sunlight on the dark mornings. Having extra light in our flat definitely had an impact on my mood and made me feel much more alert.’

Seasonal Affective Disorder

(Picture: Getty)

Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that comes and goes according to the seasons.

It’s often referred to as ‘winter depression’ as the symptoms are more severe at that time of the year.

Those with SAD tend to notice a change in their mood as autumn begins, and the days start getting shorter.

Symptoms are most severe during December, January and February, with the condition improving and disappearing during spring and summer.

What are the symptoms?

A perpetual low mood

Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary day-to-day activities

Feeling irritable

Lacking in energy and feeling sleepy during the day

Sleeping for longer than usual and finding it harder to get up in the morning

Feeling despair, guilt, or worthless

Craving carbohydrates

Weight gain

What causes it?

According to the NHS, the main theory is that too little sunlight stops a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, which can affect several things:

Melatonin production – melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. In people with SAD, the body may produce higher levels than usual

Serotonin production – the serotonin hormone affects your mood, appetite and sleep. A lack of sunlight can lead to lower levels of serotonin, which is linked to feelings of depression

The body’s internal clock – also known as the circadian rhythm, the body uses sunlight to time various key functions, such as when you wake up. Lower light levels during the winter may disrupt your body clock, leading to SAD symptoms.